You receive constant advice while you’re expecting. You read articles about the newest scientific breakthroughs while surrounded by others who are also expecting their children. Isn’t it amazing that there’s nothing wrong with this? Isn’t your kid’s life inside of you something worth all of this attention?
What if these thoughts, which you’ve been having for years on end, suddenly crash into your everyday life? What if anxiety takes control of your body and leaves you paralyzed with dread for no apparent reason? But there is hope… While this will pass (anxiety sufferers frequently overlook the fact that), it does require considerable planning (and perseverance) beforehand to deal with this new turn in your life.
Any diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional illness that emerges during pregnancy is referred to as mental illness throughout this book. The most prevalent of these conditions are depression and anxiety. They might be caused by medical reasons such as hormonal imbalances, or they may be linked to the incredible amount of information available in books and on the internet.Muscle tension and headaches, dizziness, stomach cramps, and shortness of breath are all signs that they’re coming. They can develop into persistent sadness if left unaddressed for too long, accompanied by the undesirable symptoms of anorexia, sleeplessness, low sexual desire, and even postpartum psychosis.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if left unchecked, these symptoms can also lead to suicide. According to a study published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 11% of pregnant women have had suicidal thoughts. These suicidal thoughts in pregnant women are more common than they are in non-pregnant women who have never had depression.
When these conditions arise, sufferers often try to hide their symptoms from others around them. This is done because people with these illnesses fear that others will treat them differently if they were to find out about them. As a results, many of them don’t seek the help that they need even though it would greatly benefit both themselves and their unborn children. Because of this reason, many pregnant women develop pronounced feelings of inadequacy and guilt during their pregnancies. And due to the fact that these mental health issues can be mitigated with treatment (and might lead to suicide), those who experience anxiety should explain why they treatment to their doctors as early as possible.
This requires a great deal of courage, and I understand this fully. I lived with anxiety for years on end before finally realizing that there was something wrong with me, and I developed various techniques to make it through the day in spite of everything. Once I began taking medication my life quickly changed for the better. So let’s take a moment to learn more about these mental illnesses during pregnancy so that you can help yourself or your loved one get through this difficult time in their life.
What are the differences between depression and anxiety? The answer is simple: They’re both very different yet incredibly similar at the same time! While they might not sound alike when you first hear them mentioned, they are in fact related conditions that share some of the same characteristics (and medication).
Anxiety is often described as an intense worry about something that hasn’t even happened yet. On the other hand, depression is really more like pervasive sadness. While anxiety can trigger feelings of stress and panic in patients, depression has a stronger grip on the patient’s psyche. A person suffering from anxiety will experience shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweaty palms, and tension headaches. But if left untreated, it could lead to postpartum psychosis. Depression, on the other hand, might be accompanied by a lack of sex drive and suicidal thoughts. And while women suffering from depression cry often without apparent reason during pregnancy, those suffering from anxiety might withdraw from their significant others or avoid going out altogether.
The onset of symptoms is also very different between the two conditions. While anxiety can become apparent at any time, depression usually starts to affect its victims during puberty or later in life (after age 30). Stressful events, such as losing a loved one or postpartum depression, act as triggers for these conditions. And while they might not look alike on the outside, both are equally treatable with medication and therapy. They can also manifest themselves differently in different people. For instance, some people feel anxious all the time but don’t have full-blown panic attacks. Others might only suffer from panic attacks but don’t experience constant anxiety in their day-to-day lives.
To summarize, anxiety is defined as incessant concern about future events. It’s linked to panic attacks and shortness of breath. Depression is characterized by long-term feelings of sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and inadequacy. It can strike at any age but typically does so during puberty or later adulthood (after age 30).
What exactly does anxiety and depression do to the brain? Before we get into how these problems affect expectant moms specifically, it’s vital to understand what emotions and sadness do to the mind when they take hold of a patient. And if you want to learn more about this, just read through some sufferers’ accounts of how long they lived with untreated anxiety:
“There’s a dark cloud over my head that just lingers, and I feel like there’s a large black rain cloud following me around that’s going to pour on me. It feels like something is sitting on my chest, making it difficult for me to breathe… It reminds me of asthma attacks but without wheezing. ”
Since anxiety has so much impact on the mental well-being of its victims, it’s not uncommon for them to suffer from hallucinations or delusions. Their eyes might flit back and forth under their eyelids as they worry about what may happen in the future. They might also stare into space (a behavior known as “vacant expression”) when they become overwhelmed by panic attacks. Basically, anxiety hijacks patients’ minds turns them against themselves. Is it any wonder that anxiety is associated with high rates of depression and suicide?
On the other hand, depression messes with the chemical impulses in the brain by decreasing the number of serotonin receptors. Serotonin, or 5-HT, is a neurotransmitter known to affect our moods. While its exact function is unknown, it’s considered to be largely responsible for feelings of well-being. When there are fewer serotonin receptors present, less serotonin can be absorbed by the surrounding cell walls. And since there’s no one around to pump out more serotonin, this creates a sort of dopamine/serotonin imbalance within the circuitry of the brain itself! As you might imagine, having too little dopamine can make patients feel lethargic and aloof while having too little serotonin can generate feelings of despair and melancholia.
In addition to reduced dopamine/serotonin ratios, sufferers of depression have been found to have increased levels of cortisol in their systems as well as a decreased number for receptors for this stress hormone. Having excess cortisol produces the exact opposite effect as having too little serotonin–sufferers become unfocused and overwhelmed by daily hassles.
All these different chemical imbalances lead to mood swings, chronic fatigue, irritability, hostility toward loved ones, insomnia, loss of appetite (or excessive eating), restlessness and agitation, feelings of pessimism or hopelessness, lack of interest in pleasurable activities that used to be enjoyed (e.g., sex), inability to concentrate on simple tasks at work or at school, poor judgment (leading to potentially risky behaviors like drug use), and thoughts of death or suicide.
By now, I’m sure you can understand why anxiety and depression are so intrinsically linked with one another. When people suffer from one mental illness, it’s more likely that they’ll struggle with another as well (for instance, OCD is often present in those who have both generalized anxiety disorder and depression). In fact, more than half of all patients diagnosed with depression have been found to be suffering from an accompanying anxiety problem as well.
So does this mean expectant mothers should anticipate a lifetime of sleepless nights spent worrying about their kids? Luckily for them, no! It just means that women need to learn how to better manage their moods during pregnancy. There are several steps women can take to help themselves feel better, including staying physically active (which releases serotonin/dopamine in the brain), using aromatherapy for its anti-stress benefits, exercising regularly (as this also boosts serotonin levels), learning how to control one’s breathing so it doesn’t become rapid or shallow during times of stress, setting time aside for their favorite activities every day, and getting enough sleep at night.
Patients who are suffering from anxiety or depression should never be ashamed to seek professional help. After all, these mental illnesses aren’t something to be embarrassed about, and they don’t just influence the mind. In the end, it’s always preferable to pay a little money for therapy sessions than to live with depression or anxiety for a lifetime.
But fear not! If you’re about to become a mommy, here are some ways to cope with anxiety during pregnancy… And how to do it naturally! Yes, no medicine involved! Who knows? You might even find some ideas that will help you without the need for medication! We won’t take any chances though… So feel free to talk with your doctor about anything concerning mental illness during pregnancy.
Perinatal mental illness is on the rise at an alarming rate and most of the time anxiety symptoms will manifest during the perinatal period. When the mothers start to develop anxiety it is good to take them to see a doctor and explore other treatment options and also ensure the other family member is taken to a support group so that they can be able to ensure the whole family does not get into a state of mental health problems.
Low birth weight can affect other mothers especially if they have a personal history with any kind of premature birth, they will enter into a state of feeling worried, and even if other adults will offer support to them there are severe cases where women experience anxiety and depressive symptoms will start to be seen. Perinatal depression is one of the major depressive disorder that many women experience, panic attacks due to the scare of the previous pregnancy and other health conditions may trigger this.
Postnatal depression can also affect maternal mental health severely according to Edinburgh postnatal depression scale and as the growing baby continues to mature the mother’s mental health issues must be treated. There is a higher chance of mothers experiencing postpartum psychosis and any other issues like this if the woman has pre-existing conditions. If the family members or friends are aware of mental health conditions they can take care of the mother and baby until she recovers; because it affects mood, eating, and sleeping patterns there should be someone to monitor them, therefore, avoid possible suicide and help the person to cope up.
Warning Signs Of Mental Illness During Pregnancy & Risk Factors Include:
Previous history of mental illness (8) – This is especially true for pregnant women with a family history of depression or bipolar disorder (9). Another cause for concern is women who have suffered trauma in their lives or those who have lost loved ones to suicide or homicide… They too are at an increased risk of developing depression during pregnancy (10). But don’t worry, you’re not alone! Even if your family has no history of mental illness, one out of every ten women will develop postpartum depression between the fourth and sixth months after giving birth (11)! Other risk factors include having little social support from people who are close to you, living in poverty or having difficulty coping with stress (12).
Stressful pregnancy – As much as we would all like it to be otherwise, this is not an easy thing. You’re constantly worried about what might happen if you didn’t do something right, or if the baby’s kicking means that your body isn’t providing enough oxygen… Or even worse yet, worries about having a miscarriage or giving birth to a child who will be born malformed (13). Also, women who feel overwhelmed with taking care of their older children along with the new baby are also at greater risk for mental illness during pregnancy (14)! But don’t worry too much! One study shows that the majority of pregnant mothers develop postpartum anxiety and depression after an uncomplicated pregnancy (15).
Financial problems – This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone! Unless you’re one of those lucky few who win the lottery or receive some large inheritance, chances are that money will be tight as a mofo. You might even miss your regular manicures and weekly massages just to put food on the table.
Mental health risk factors in pregnant women
One significant risk factor of paternal depression especially in employed women is the stressful events one has to go through when returning to work. For the disadvantaged women and the ones having low income, they get depression from the pressures of struggling to be a good mother that is when you get their emotional health dropping and when they lack emotional support many women will have low self-esteem. Parenting role may not always come easy and many new mothers get emotional distress starting from antenatal depression during the pregnancy. As they take care of the growing baby with the local resources they have and due to their history with struggle with mental health they try and manage stress by seeking treatment from health professionals who treat depression and some resort to going to support groups. Another risk factor that affects the mental health of those in the maternal role is lack of medical care support during pregnancy and early parenthood you will find that most of them are dealing with low self-efficacy and might resort to substance abuse due to the stress they went through in the previous pregnancies
Anxiety disorders in pregnant women
They are estimated to affect about 10% of the general population but are much more common in pregnant women. The most common anxiety disorders that occur during pregnancy include social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Women with a previous history of mental illness are at further risk to develop postnatal emotional problems. This is because these women have a higher risk of developing depression in the early stages of pregnancy.
Post-traumatic disorders in pregnant women
There has been a rise in the number of studies carried out to determine the factors that may put an expectant mother at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth. The most common traumatic experiences that pregnant women go through include emotional and sexual abuse, physical assault, war experiences, and negative social interactions such as domestic violence.
The possibility of being subjected to terrorism is another kind of trauma that pregnant women can acquire, such as witnessing family members or friends being injured or killed in terrorist strikes. According to research, minority groups who live in high-poverty areas and have limited access to good medical care as a result of financial constraints are more likely to suffer from PTSD following a terrorist assault or any other type of carnage.
PTSD is a severe mental health problem that causes the affected person to have recurrent distressing memories of a previous traumatic event. Women who have had prior episodes of PTSD are at an increased risk of experiencing depression as well as anxiety during pregnancy. In addition, there has been a directly proportional relationship shown between the severity of PTSD and the risk that it poses to those with preterm births or low-weight babies. Thus, it is very easy for those currently suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to develop this illness during pregnancy due to their history of previous affective disorders where they experience mood swings on a regular basis.
Finally, some risk factors cannot be avoided such as living in a situation where there’s a constant threat of violence to one’s life and health, being subjected to physical abuse from one’s spouse or living with the fear of being sexually assaulted. In such cases, women have to develop PTSD in order to survive, especially when they live in neighborhoods where there is no law enforcement defending them. In addition, developing PTSD during pregnancy can be brought about by hearing war stories from people who are close to you. This only means that expecting mothers have to constantly check on their mental health status because anything may trigger it even without warning due to the changes that are taking place within the body.
How to deal with traumatic childbirth experiences
It would be beneficial to the expectant mother if she has someone there who can assist her during labour. This person should preferably be a person that she trusts and is willing to share her problems with. In some cases, there are women who are seen to develop PTSD following childbirth because they cannot find somebody who will provide them with the necessary support. Without this, an expecting mother may feel extremely frightened or alone which may lead to developing anxiety or panic disorder even without any warning signs
Anxiety during pregnancy
One of the first symptoms of anxiety in pregnant women is not being able to concentrate on anything except for their fears and worries about the baby depending on how intense their experiences were prior to conception. At such times, it’s advisable for expecting mothers to seek medical help as soon as possible. However, even before seeing a doctor, they should limit their intake of stimulants and caffeine-based drinks such as energy drinks and coffee throughout the day. This would make it easier for them to combat anxiety attacks without feeling too tired or worn out because fatigue causes panic among those with anxiety disorders
In terms of dealing with different types of traumas experienced during pregnancy, women who have been subject to physical or sexual abuse can find it difficult at first to discuss these issues even with their family members. In such cases, pregnant women should consult a friend or relative whom they trust so much that they will listen to them without any judgment whatsoever. Also, expecting mothers should try getting together with other mothers who have been through the same trauma just so they can support each other fully.
In order to get rid of anxiety during pregnancy, women experiencing it should try taking a hot bath or going for a walk in a nearby park since this helps relieve stress and tension. However, expecting mothers should ensure that their activities don’t include physical risks while pregnant because anything may trigger off high blood pressure resulting from anxiety. In some cases, consuming too much caffeine has been known to bring about feelings of panic among those with anxiety disorders. Thus, expectant mothers who feel anxious should cut down on their intake of caffeinated drinks such as coffee and energy drinks if possible. Depression during pregnancy
Extreme worry about everything that might happen to the baby is one of the most typical indications of depression during pregnancy. It’s also common for women with severe depressive symptoms throughout pregnancy to lose all interest in their own well-being or what happens to them. As a result, they neglect themselves even if they don’t want to, which only makes things worse in the long run.
One of the first steps expecting mothers should take is consulting their family members and loved ones so they can resolve whatever problems are troubling them. Also, women who want to keep track of how far along they are into their pregnancies should make an effort to get involved in activities such as reading books on parenting or how babies grow every week because this helps develop healthy mindsets by being knowledgeable about what’s going on within one’s own body.
Aside from family support, expectant mothers who are experiencing signs of depression throughout pregnancy should talk to other moms who have gone through similar situations in order to learn how much better their condition will improve as the kid grows older. It also helps a lot if they can discuss things with close friends and relatives since this gives them feelings of friendship and belonging, which relieves anxiety caused by isolation or loneliness.
If the emotional strain of being pregnant is too severe for pregnant women to bear, there are numerous types of therapies accessible to help them relax. Hypnosis therapy, for example, has been found to be quite successful among female patients who require calming or peace in order to alleviate their anxiety about what’s going on in their bodies.
In the event that women don’t like hypnosis therapy for whatever reason, they can always turn to psychiatrists who specialize in this sort of treatment because they have the necessary skills and knowledge when it comes to treating anxiety disorders during pregnancy. Finally, expectant mothers should set up alerts on their phones to remind them periodically throughout the day that everything is fine even if they don’t feel like it, which may assist reduce feelings of sadness when someone is expecting a baby.
